Comments

You probably don’t need this advice, but if you glue that cardboard with a
water based glue, alternate the grain, and make sure you weigh it down
under some plywood on a flat surface so it doesn’t warp. If you don’t, it
will almost certainly warp. Tape the corners so none of it slips while it’s
being weighed down, and it’s better to cut it big because it WILL slip a
little. Then it can be trimmed with a sharp saw, and sanded to fine tune
it. I hope I don’t come across as a pompous a-hole.

OK.. so how are you going to keep the sun shinning in at 70 degrees as it
keeps moving across the sky? When you set the oven at optimum angle to the
sun… 10 minutes later the sun has moved Need a “tracker” of some kind to
follow the sun… Still don’t think that’s the solution.. If you get 70
degrees on one side, you don’t have 70 on any of the others. But I don’t
really know.. and no solutions to offer.. except a reverse mirror on top of
those.. like a TV satellite dish..

Looking good. You’ve put in alot of work on that one. There is one big
thing to consider when setting the angle of the mirrors. Looking straight
at the mirror array, the wider the mirrors are the more energy they collect
and concentrate to the focal area. At that angle you’re not reflecting as
much light to the focal area as if that angle of the array was opened more.
It’s all about how much energy you can reflect to the focal area.

funny you should suggest that. i just returned from an appliance store with
the motherload of cardboard. im working on a hinge mechanism now and will
start on the cardboard as soon as i come up with a satisfactory hinge
design.

I love it. With that much insulation, and the new reflectors you’re bound
to get temps way higher than the original 300 degrees you were hoping for.
I predict some new solar cooking videos will be a part of your future.